Station for young naturalists, biology clubs. Circle of young naturalists of the Zoological Museum of Moscow State University (KYUN ZM MSU). Evening biology school

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The circle of young naturalists of the Moscow State University Zoo Museum (KYUN ZM MSU) has existed since 1991. The educational and research biological program developed and applied at the KYUN is designed for students aged 12-18 years (the annual composition of the study group is about 30 people). The total duration of the program is 3.5 years.
The head of the Young Naturalists Club of the Moscow State University Zoological Museum and the author of the program is a laureate of the European Academy Prize and Soros teacher, junior researcher at the Moscow State University Zoological Museum - Evgeniy Anatolyevich Dunaev.
The main goals of the Club’s work are to expand students’ knowledge about nature, develop biological erudition, develop competent ecological thinking, and acquire skills in the comprehensive study and conservation of biodiversity.

• The priority objectives of the program are:
• teaching the theoretical foundations of biological knowledge for all groups of living organisms;
• implementation of practical study of the morphology, anatomy, systematics and ecology of animals, fungi, plants and protozoa;
• developing in students the skills of independent research activities in nature, combining the cognitive aspect with aesthetic perception;
• participation of schoolchildren in various events and scientific and practical work on the study and protection of flora and fauna of the Moscow region and other regions of Russia;

1. AND PROGRAM CONTENT
   Theoretical classes are held regularly (twice a week for 2-2.5 hours). They take the form of lecture courses on various sections of biology and are divided into three groups. A.
   Botanical and mycological courses: Algology (algae), Mycology (fungi), Lichenology (lichens), Archegonial plants (ferns, horsetails, mosses, bryophytes), Morphology of flowering plants, Systematics and evolution of gymnosperms and flowering plants, Fundamentals of geobotany. Zoology courses: Diversity of the animal kingdom (zoology of invertebrate animals and evolution of organ systems), Malacology (molluscs), Entomology (insects), Arachnology (arachnids), Ichthyology (fish), Batrachology and herpetology (amphibians and reptiles), Ornithology (birds), Theriology (mammals), Fundamentals of ethology (animal behavior), Voices of birds, Traces of animal activity, Fundamentals of biogeography and taxonomy of animals.
   IN. General biological and naturalistic courses: Field skills of a naturalist, Trees and shrubs in a leafless state, Theory of collecting, Scientific photography and drawing, Methods of biological research and primary processing of results, System of kingdoms of living organisms, History of biology, Introduction to paleontology (the history of life on Earth), Soil science and geomorphology, Basics of cytology (the study of cells), Introduction to biochemistry, Basics of ecology and nature conservation, Basics of genetics and evolution of organisms, Latin in biology. Classes begin with a six-month internship course, given annually to a new set of circle members. At the end of classes in the internship group, students take written, oral and excursion tests and defend an essay on a pre-selected biological topic. In the trainee group, the program is implemented according to the circle system for 0.5 years. The purpose of the internship course is to help familiarize yourself with basic biological terms, concepts and laws, and gain experience and skills in naturalistic work. Trainees who score the required amount of points are enrolled in the main group of the circle.

   The main members of the circle are engaged in a club form of education. Each lecture course, depending on its complexity and amount of information, is allocated from 1 to 12-15 lessons (2-30 hours). In botanical and zoological courses devoted to any group of living organisms, there is a standard plan for presenting theoretical material. First, the characteristics of the group, its taxonomy and a brief history of the study are given. Next, morphology is examined in more detail, where special attention is paid to features that have diagnostic significance, then we talk about the features and principles of organization, biology of species of this group, ecology (from the point of view of their role as components of biocenoses, adaptations to various environmental conditions, etc.). d.), rare and protected species, significance in nature and for humans.
   Some courses take the form of theoretical seminars. In preparation for them, schoolchildren study in advance the proposed questions from various literary sources, try to select the necessary material from the mass and take notes on it, learn to separate important information from unimportant information.
   Theoretical classes are illustrated by showing slides depicting living organisms, collection materials (herbarium, carcasses, preparations, etc.), recordings of bird voices, etc. A special form of course illustrations are thematic excursions to museums, botanical gardens, a zoo (for example: a tour of the diversity of birds of the fauna of Central Russia, presented in the collection of the Moscow Zoo; morpho-ecological features of archegonial plants - in the greenhouses of the Main Botanical Garden of the Russian Academy of Sciences; principles and features of the organization of various groups of invertebrate animals, amphibians, reptiles, fish, birds and mammals - in the Zoological Museum of Moscow State University, directions of their evolution - in the Paleontological Museum of the Russian Academy of Sciences; problems of systematics - in the Darwin Museum).

2. Laboratory and practical exercises are the most important addition to theoretical courses. At them, members of the circle are mainly engaged in identifying various groups of living organisms. These activities are included in almost every botanical and zoological course. Another type of laboratory and practical classes is devoted to the direct study of the structure and morpho-ecological adaptations of organisms, this is accompanied by sketches of research objects and their most important taxonomic characteristics. Such work with collection materials contributes to the development of observation, a holistic sense of the object of study and its detailing at the same time, visual memorization of diagnostic signs and recognition of biological objects in nature by them, and develops individual creative abilities.

1. Organizational classes are held 1-2 times a week. In them, students carry out educational and technical work related to the design and installation of demonstration and collection materials and mastering the skills of their proper storage, discuss plans for field work, etc. These classes develop the business skills of students, help identify individual creative abilities and practical orientation of biological interests of schoolchildren.
2. One-day trips into nature are held on weekends 2-3 times a month. They practice the skills of keeping field diaries, geobotanical description of biotopes, and the ability to accurately and competently record environmental phenomena. Students remember the field characteristics of plants, mushrooms and animals when identifying them, learn to recognize birds by their voices, take photographs and much more. Field trips are a convenient way to clearly illustrate the knowledge gained in theoretical classes; and during repeated route observations - to trace the influence of a number of climatic factors on the same objects of living nature, to feel the seasonal variability of organisms, and to get acquainted with other environmental phenomena in nature. One-day trips also include thematic excursions - studying the specific flora of early flowering plants in the Moscow region (in the Ikshinsky Ravine reserve, the protective zone of the Prioksko-Terrasny Nature Reserve), the species composition of waterfowl on spring migration in the Vinogradovskaya floodplain of the river. Moscow, familiarization with swamp (in the peat quarries of the Zvenigorod or Meldinsky reserves) or steppe (in the vicinity of the Prioksko-Terrasny Reserve) vegetation, etc.
3. Multi-day practices are carried out during the autumn, winter, spring and summer school holidays and are conducted as scientific expeditions. A clear schedule of excursions, field and office work allows you to establish a business rhythm for practices that last 10-20 days.

BIOLOGICAL CIRCLE OF THE DARWIN MUSEUM "VOOP"
(general information about the circle, section main page)

The Biological Club of the Darwin Museum ("BOOP") is one of oldest circles in Moscow and Russia as a whole. It was organized in 1950 a remarkable naturalist-biologist Pyotr Petrovich Smolin and existed under his leadership until 1975 (see section History of the circle). After the death of Pyotr Petrovich and to this day, the circle is led by his students. In 2010 the circle turned 10 years old 60 years(cm. ).

"VOOP" - historical self-name mug, due to the fact that in the first years of work he was a member of the youth section of the All-Russian Society for Nature Conservation. Currently the circle exists at the base Darwin Museum Moscow. The VOOP club is not, in the usual sense, a school biology club, but represents informal association ecologists and biologists of different ages. Since 1975, the work of the circle has been coordinated by Ekaterina Sergeevna Preobrazhenskaya - Candidate of Biological Sciences, researcher at the Institute of Ecology and Evolution. A.N. Severtsov (IPEE) RAS (see Contacts section).

The study group of the circle includes schoolchildren starting from the 7th grade (and the most stubborn - starting from 6 and even 5) and students - up to the 3rd year inclusive. The main direction of the circle's work is research work in nature(see section Guest mug).

Basic principles of the circle's work were formulated at one time by Pyotr Petrovich Smolin. Their three.

The first principle is " natural component" (or " closer to nature") - implies carrying out the main part of the work in natural conditions, during trips and expeditions. This point is very important at the present time, when a significant part of children are deprived of normal contact with nature. Such a lack of contact, in addition to ignorance, causes fear: "forest - this is a place where something can happen to you." Ignorance of natural nature and fear of it are overcome with great difficulty only in adulthood.

The second principle is " research approach". In order to get to know nature and learn to communicate with it, you need to do something in it. Moreover, the activity should involve communication with natural objects, and not with other people against the backdrop of nature (tourism). Again, knowledge about nature should stem from nature itself, and not just from the source of information for which it serves as a background (a tour guide). One of the most natural ways to gain skills in communicating with nature is through educational and research work (all children are researchers by nature). The Darwin Museum prepares and defends research papers that serve as the basis for admission to the core circle (see list of research projects carried out by circle members).

The third principle is " social moment"(according to the wording of Pyotr Petrovich) - implies training and work as part of different age groups, when the “senior” circle members (both schoolchildren, students, and graduates) play the role of instructors, teachers and work supervisors for the “junior” ones in relation to them. This allows you to effectively organize educational and research work with virtually no participation of official teachers and managers.

Work circle consists of lectures And seminary classes (on Tuesdays), from evening excursions through city parks, trips to the forest on weekends(2 times a month) and expeditions(required - every vacation, including about 2 months of summer field practice) (see section Expeditions and trips).

Tuesdays always take place in the museum from 17.30 to 20 hours; on Wednesdays it can be like classes at the museum, and various excursions. Lectures and practical classes are conducted by scientists and students. These classes serve to broaden your horizons and gain general understanding for further independent work. Classes in Moscow include mainly zoology and botany, as well as ecology and related disciplines. Such “laboratory” disciplines as cytology, genetics, biochemistry and molecular biology are touched upon only incidentally and to a very small extent.

Trips and expeditions- the main form of work of the circle; without them, everything else loses its meaning. Club members go to the forest on Sundays, usually twice a month, in the morning or overnight (in warm weather - in the forest, in winter - indoors). To work during the holidays at the club has its own base in the Kostroma region, on the Unzha River (600 km from Moscow). In addition, expeditions are carried out to other areas, mainly in nature reserves. Most often, children go to the Bryansk Forest reserve, the Kerzhensky reserve (Nizhny Novgorod region), the Kaluga Zaseki reserve, and the Bolshaya Kokshaga reserve (Mari Republic); There are also longer trips - to Bashkiria (Bashkir Nature Reserve), to the White Sea (Kandalaksha Nature Reserve, Solovetsky Islands) and others.

The biological circle of the Darwin Museum has several traditional directions work in which most of the circle members usually take part sooner or later. This is holding winter bird counts in the forests of different regions of Russia (see information about the Euro-Asian Christmas bird counts program), conducting geobotanical And soil research at the Kostroma station of the IPEE RAS.

Every year, the circle carries out about a dozen independent educational and research topics (see section Research works). Many of them are highly rated at various competitions at the Moscow and All-Russian levels. A significant part of the circle members become professional biologists - currently more than 30 graduates of the circle are studying at various biological universities.

Traditionally record to the biological circle of the Darwin Museum not carried out. Anyone can attend the classes. Those who come for the first time - guests mug. After the third time the guests turn into visitors(see section Guest mug).

To move from a visitor group to composition of the main circle, you need to take part in trips and research work. As a rule, interns initially help conduct research and in the process become familiar with the methods and object of the work. Anyone who took part in field research as an assistant or began preparing for independent research activities becomes a candidate for the main group of the circle. To become a member of the main team of the circle, you must complete and defend independent work. To do this, you need to choose a topic, read the literature, formulate a problem, collect material, and process it. Of course, all this is done with the help of senior circle members or “bosses.” Only after a member of the circle makes a report on his work and answers questions about his chosen specialty does he become a real member of the circle. The senior circle members serve as “judges” in this.

The work of the circle is not as complicated as it might seem at first glance. Come to the museum (see Contacts section), take a closer look, we are not rushing you. Think- Do you love the forest? Do you want to conduct independent research? Aren't you afraid of getting your feet wet, freezing, getting lost, or spending the night by the fire? If you love, want and are not afraid, then you are with us!

experience biological circle of the Darwin Museum, it is possible to use and distribute in two main directions.

Firstly, when creating field centers for environmental education schoolchildren. Such centers can be organized both as independent educational units (for example, the Field Center "Ecosystem"), and in various specially protected natural areas - national parks, reserves. It is necessary that the “ecology in nature” course in such training centers become a compulsory component of school education.

Secondly - when conducting programs monitoring and scientific research, primarily on specially protected natural areas. The circle’s experience shows that such programs can be carried out to a large extent by “volunteer groups” of researchers - primarily schoolchildren and students, if these groups are properly trained and organized (for example, the Christmas Bird Count Program). This combination of educational and research work is traditional for a significant number of old Russian nature reserves; it needs to be maintained and expanded.

Chronicle mug

KYUBZ is a research circle created in 1924 to train young zoologists, conduct scientific observations of zoo animals and help the zoo.
And now, 90 years later, the guys at KYUBZ are conducting scientific work, observing animals, helping the zoo, and going out into nature.

Over the years of the circle's work, its members included almost 2,000 people, including 9 academicians, 40 professors, about 100 doctors and more than 200 candidates of science. Among the graduates of KYUBZ are famous cultural figures - writers, artists, sculptors.

The work of the KYUBZ consists of:

- Lectures, which are read by “old” KYUBZ members, famous scientists, zoo employees, and circle leaders. Lectures cover a wide range of biological disciplines: vertebrate and invertebrate zoology, botany, cytology, zoogeography, research methods and various practical exercises. The schedule of lectures is compiled every year taking into account the interests of KYUBZ students.
- Circle meetings, at which members of the circle make reports, talk about the work done, about trips, accept new members into the circle and decide on the organization. questions.
- Independent work in the zoo. All members of the KYUBZ conduct scientific observations of zoo animals and write research papers.
- Field trips. They are held on weekends (about once every two weeks in the Moscow region), during school holidays (to nature reserves) and in the summer (a month-long expedition to a nature reserve).
- Help the zoo(members of the circle participate in cleanup days, bring cones, moss, etc. from the forest).

KYUBZ has self-government. The work of the circle is organized by a Bureau selected from active schoolchildren; all controversial issues are resolved at a general meeting. KYUBZ students also participate in the life of the circle, and maintain close contact with KYUBZ students of older generations.

KYUBZ accepts schoolchildren from the 6th grade (exceptions are possible) who are interested in biology and want to study zoo animals and the nature of the Moscow region, Russia. The circle is free. KYUBZ members enter the zoo territory free of charge.

Classes in our club take place:
Wednesdays (lectures) – 17.00-19.00
Sundays - (meetings) – 11.00-13.00

You can come to the club for the first time on any of these days throughout the school year.